Growing up on Grosse Ile

By Richard

Grosse
Ile was a great place to raise children. On many days I would explore
the woods which joined our property, swimming in the creek and pond. The
pond was in the woods about a quarter mile from the house.

On many a summer day the bunch of us could be found running through the
woods dropping our clothing (all of them) along the path and diving in
as soon as we arrived at the pond. We would spend the day swimming in
its cool waters. After the war, in the summer, we kids would sneak on to
the Naval Air Station and spend the day swimming in the base pool.

Mom never worried about where we were or what we were doing. Or at least
that is the way it seemed.

Our dog Judy, a cocker spaniel, would chase the planes as they flew over
the house to land at the Naval Air Station. She also loved to hunt. In
the winter I would hunt rabbits and pheasant with friends Jack and Lee
and of course Judy. It made no difference to us that the Island was a
game preserve. Mr. Peabody was the game warden and his son Bill was in
my class.

The creek passed a mere seventy-five yards from our house and in the
spring the water would run over the road and the Northern Pike would
swim upstream to spawn. At times they were so thick that they were easy
to pick out with a spear or even a garden rake. In those woods I learned
to hunt and camp, and I learned to take care of and entertain myself. I
learned to be self sufficient.